Encebollado de Pescado

Traditional Ecuadorian coastal soup featuring braised ahi tuna and tender yucca root in a spiced broth, topped with pickled red onions and served with white rice and plantain chips.

• Prep: 20 min
• Cook: 40 min
• Total: 1 hr
• Servings: 2
• Cuisine: Ecuadorian
• Difficulty: Easy

Dietary

• Dairy-Free
• Nut-Free
• Soy-Free
• Egg-Free
• Pescatarian
• High-Protein
• Kosher
• Halal
• Low-Fat
• Low-Sugar
• Low-Saturated-Fat

Tags

• comfort food
• boil
• tangy
• rich

Ingredients

• 0.75 pound yucca root (peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks)
• 1 pound ahi tuna (cut into large 2-inch cubes)
• 1 red onion (thinly sliced)
• 2 Roma tomatoes (diced)
• 0.5 bunch fresh cilantro (chopped)
• 2 limes (juiced)
• 2 tablespoon achiote oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup white rice (uncooked)
• 2 ounce plantain chips

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, combine sliced red onion with juice from 1 lime and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set aside to pickle while preparing the soup.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup white rice with 2 cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 18 minutes until rice is cooked and fluffy.
3. Heat achiote oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced Roma tomatoes, ground cumin, and black pepper, sautéing for 5 minutes until soft.
4. Add yucca root chunks and 4 cups of water to the pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes until the yucca is fork-tender.
5. Add ahi tuna cubes and half of the chopped fresh cilantro to the broth. Simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes until the tuna is fully cooked through.
6. Remove tuna and yucca chunks from the broth with a slotted spoon. Mash half of the yucca chunks with a fork and return to the broth to thicken it.
7. Divide cooked white rice between bowls. Ladle broth with yucca and tuna into each bowl, then top generously with pickled red onions, remaining fresh cilantro, remaining lime juice, and serve alongside crunchy plantain chips.

Notes

Pickling the onions ahead allows them to soften and develop a vivid pink color that adds vibrant acidity to the rich fish broth.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 620
• Protein: 54 g
• Carbohydrates: 78 g
• Fat: 11 g
• Fiber: 5 g
• Sodium: 880 mg
• Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
• Sugar: 4 g
• Cholesterol: 85 mg